Computing system in which a plurality of programs can run on the hardware of one computer

• US 6,957,364 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Igata, Hiroyuki, Furukawa, Hiroshi, Arai, Toshiaki, Shimooka, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASKULINSKI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/917,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20020108074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0712 in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0772 Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/301 where the computing system is a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems virtual machines G06F9/45533; logical partitioning of resources G06F9/5077
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247

Abstract

The present invention realizes configuration management, failure monitoring and control of hardware resources in an open architecture computer on which a plurality of OSs run. A management agent 2111 run on a partition 211 performs communication with a management console 10, management of data on hardware and software failure occurred in the partition 211, and communication with a partitioning control unit 221. The partitioning control unit 221 utilizes partition configuration information 2211 to manage and control hardware allocated to each partition 211, and to intermediate communication between the hardware 231 and the management agents 2111. A hardware data collection unit 23111 manages configuration information of all the hardware in the computer, and monitors status of and failures in the hardware.

Claims

1. A computing system in which a plurality of OSs run on hardware of one computer, said computing system comprising:

management agents that are respectively executed on the OSs, to manage said OSs;

a partitioning control unit that holds partition configuration information indicating a relation between each OS and the hardware, and controls allocation of the hardware to each OS; and

a hardware data collection unit that collects data on said hardware;

wherein;

said computing system uses said partition configuration information to perform hardware management for each OS;

said computing system further comprising management consoles for performing data collection, failure data reception, and control of said computer on which a plurality of OSs run, wherein,

when said hardware data collection unit detects an occurrence of a failure in a piece of the hardware, the hardware data collection unit notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit notifies said failure data to management agents corresponding to OSs allocated with said piece of the hardware in Which the failure has occurred; and

said management agents notified of said failure data, in turn, notify said failure data to said management consoles.

2. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein:

when one of said management agents receives a request from one of said management consoles for acquisition of hardware configuration information, the management agent notifies said request to said partitioning control unit;

the partitioning control unit, which has been notified of said request, acquires the data on said hardware from said hardware data collection unit, and extracts requested information on hardware using said partition configuration information, to send said information extracted to said management agent; and

said management agent notifies the information received from said partitioning control unit to said management console.

3. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein:

when said hardware data collection unit detects an occurrence of a failure in a piece of the hardware, the hardware data collection unit notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit notifies said failure data to management agents corresponding to OSs allocated with said piece of the hardware in which the failure has occurred; and

said management agents which are notified of said failure data, control software currently performed on the OSs allocated with said piece of the hardware in which the failure has occurred, based on the failure data notified.

4. The computing system according to claim 1, wherein:

when one of said management agents detects an occurrence of a failure in software, said management agent notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit performs control of reallocation of the hardware allocated to each OS, and/or performs activation control for each OS, based on said failure data.

5. A computing system in which a plurality of OSs run on hardware of one computer, said computing system comprising:

an integrated management agent that is executed on a primary OS to manage said computer;

software management agents that are respectively executed on the OSs except for said primary OS, to manage software executed on respective OSs concerned;

a partitioning control unit that holds partition configuration information indicating a relation between each OS and the hardware, and controls allocation of the hardware to each OS; and

a hardware data collection unit that collects data on said hardware;

wherein;

said computing system uses said partition configuration information to perform hardware management for each OS,

wherein;

when said hardware data collection unit detects an occurrence of a failure in the hardware, the hardware data collection unit notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit notifies said failure data to said integrated management agent; and

said integrated management agent controls software through said software management agents, based on the failure data notified.

6. The computing system according to claim 5, further comprising:

management consoles for performing data collection, failure data reception, and control of said computer on which a plurality of OSs run.

7. The computing system according to claim 6, wherein:

when said integrated management agent receives a request from one of said management consoles for acquisition of hardware configuration information, said integrated management agent notifies said request to said partitioning control unit;

the partitioning control unit, which has been notified of said request, acquires the data on said hardware from said hardware data collection unit, and extracts requested information on hardware using said partition configuration information, to send said information extracted to said integrated management agent; and

said integrated management agent notifies the information received from said partitioning control unit to said management console.

8. The computing system according to claim 5, wherein:

when one of said software management agents detects an occurrence of a failure in software, said software management agent notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit performs control of reallocation of the hardware allocated to each OS, and/or performs activation control for each OS, based on said failure data.

9. The computing system in which a plurality of program execution segment run on hardware of one computer, said computing system comprising:

management agents that are respectively executed on the program execution segment, to manage said program execution segment;

a partitioning control unit that holds partition configuration information indicating a relation between each program execution segment and the hardware, and controls allocation of the hardware to each program execution segment and

a hardware data collection unit that collects data on said hardware;

wherein;

said computing system uses said partition configuration information to perform hardware management for each program execution segment,

wherein;

when said hardware data collection unit detects an occurrence of a failure in a piece of the hardware, the hardware data collection unit notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit notifies said failure data to management agents corresponding to program execution segment allocated with said piece of the hardware in which the failure has occurred; and

said management agents which are notified of said failure data, control software currently performed on the program execution segment allocated with said piece of the hardware in which the failure has occurred, based on the failure data notified.

10. The computing system in which a plurality of program execution segment run on hardware of one computer, said computing system comprising:

management agents that are respectively executed an the program execution segment, to manage said program execution segment;

a partitioning control unit that holds partition configuration information indicating a relation between each program execution segment and the hardware, and controls allocation of the hardware to each program execution segment and

a hardware data collection unit that collects data on said hardware;

wherein;

said computing system uses said partition configuration information to perform hardware management for each program execution segment,

wherein;

when one of said management agents detects an occurrence of a failure in software, said management agent notifies the failure data to said partitioning control unit;

said partitioning control unit performs control of reallocation of the hardware allocated to each program execution segment, and/or performs activation control for each program execution segment, based on said failure data.